Lightning News

Lightning recall D David Hale from Norfolk

by
Staff Writer
/ Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled defenseman David Hale from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. He was assigned to the Admirals for conditioning on January 26. Subsequent to today’s recall, Hale was placed on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury.

Hale, 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, played in four games with the Admirals during the conditioning assignment, recording a goal and two points with a plus-1 rating. He suffered a lower body injury during Norfolk’s game February 3 against the Hershey Bears.

The 28-year-old has played in 35 games with the Lightning this season, recording four assists. He is second on the Lightning among defensemen with an even plus/minus rating and is third in hits with 52. He has played in two games during the month of January.

A native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Hale has played in 298 NHL games with Tampa Bay, the Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames and the New Jersey Devils, recording three goals and 24 points. He has played in 17 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording two assists. Hale went directly from the University of North Dakota, where he played in 104 games with 10 goals and 26 points, to the NHL where he played in 65 games with New Jersey in 2003-04.

Hale was drafted by New Jersey in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by the Lightning with Todd Fedoruk from Phoenix in exchange for Radim Vrbata on July 21, 2009.